Apparatus for coloring films and the like.



P. E. STOW,

APPARATUS FOR COLORING FILMS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION men JAN. 25, 1915.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

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APPARATUS FOR COLORING FILMS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 25. ms.

Llfi%fi@6 Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- P. E. STOW.

APPARATUS FOR COLORING FILMS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25. 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.,

P. E. STOW.

APPARATUS FOR COLORING FILMS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25. 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

PERCIVAL E. STOW, 0F CBOYDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO HARRYMARTIN VALENTINE SHARP, 0F CROYDON, ENGLAND, AND ONE-THIRD TO HENRYVASSAR LAWLEY, 0F BATTERSEA PARK, LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR COLORING FILMS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedDec. t, 1915.

original application filed November 22, 1913, Serial No. 802,563.Divided and this application filed January To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, PERCIVAL EDWIN STow, subject of George V, King of GreatBritain and Ireland, and resident of 173 St. J ame's road, Croydon, inthe county of Surrey, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Coloring Films and the like, of WhlCh thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for carrying out the method ofcoloring films and the like described and claimed in Letters Patent No.1130645 issued to me on 2nd, March 1915.

The function of the apparatus is to transfer the color from the negativefilm (printplate) or the like to the positive film or the like by meansof pressure blocks in the manner substantially as hereinafter described.

The apparatus is preferably constructed as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation: showingthe position occupied by the parts of the apparatus when the positiveand the negative (both shown in broken lines) are under pressure betweenthe pressure blocks. Fig. 2 is a similar View to Fig. 1 but shows theposition of the parts of the apparatus when the pressure blocks areseparated. Fig. 3 is a side elevation and Fig. 4: a plan of theapparatus as shown in Fig. 1, both Figs. 3 and 4 being on a largerscale.

Referring to the drawings, on each of a pair of oppositely disposed armsa, a, upper and lower sprocket wheels, b, Z), and c, 0, respectively,are rotatably mounted. Pivoted on the said arms between said sprocketwheels are the pressure blocks d, d. The mutually opposing faces of thepressure blocks are in the form of plates whose upper and lower edgesare bent outward away from one another, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so asto ease the passage of the films over them, one of them being faced witha felt or the like pad In place of each of the pressure blocks a pair ofrollers placed one above the other may be employed, the upper oneconstituting a pressure roller and the lower one a guide roller.

The positive 6, (uncolored) and the negative 7, (colored in the mannerdescribed in my said patent) are led into the machine Serial No. 4,346.

over the upper sprocket wheels I), b, thence face to face between thepressure blocks, and then out of the machine under the lower sprocketwheels c, 0. Springcontrolled pressure rollers 6 b and c c respectively,press the films into contact with the sprocket wheels.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 1, the arms a, a, are connected to rear arms a aby means of gods a a near their upper ends. Through the lower ends ofthe arms a, a, a, a shafts g, and freely pass. These shafts take abearing in a plate It and also in brackets k fixed in the plate h, andthe arms a, a, a a rock upon them. Thus, the said arms with their rodsof, a constitute frames which rock on the shafts g, The lower sprocketwheels 0, 0, are mounted upon forward extensions of the shafts g, Theupper end of the two rocking frames are connected together by a springj, in tension, and toggles I, the tension of the spring being adjustableby means of a screw j and milled head j Between the upper ends of therocking frames is also placed a spring Z under compression. By suitablyadjusting the tension of-the spring j the pressure on the films betweenthe pressure blocks can be regulated with extreme nicety. The sprocketwheels are geared together so as to run all at the same speed by meansof gear wheels, m, m, to which motion is transmitted by means of ahandle 71., worm n worm wheel 0, mounted on a shaft 0 bevel gearing p,and Maltese cross q. The latter is driven by means of the pin enteringthe radial slots of which one is shown at 72 of the Maltese cross in theusual way, and is employed for the purpose of imparting the necessaryintermittent motion to the films.

The pressure blocks are forced apart at the required time by means of acam 0 fixed on the shaft 0 and operating on a rod 1', and lever s, whichlatter is pivoted at 8* in a fixed bracket 8 In the apparatus shown inthe drawings the cam 0 operates on the rod 7' once for every fourrevolutions of the handle n, the speed ratio between the worm n and wormwheel 0 being I to 1. IVhen the cam 0 rises, the front end of the lever3 depresses the toggles lo and thereby forces the arms a, a, and thepressure blocks, (Z, (Z, etc., apart into the position shown in Fig. 2.

A connecting piece u, adjustable in length, is pivoted at its outer endon a fixed Plllrl) and at its inner end on a pin 1; which latterconnects the inner ends of the toggles is together. The purpose of suchconnecting piece is to hold the toggles, rocking frames, etc., inposition.

The upper sprocket wheels Z), Z), contain springs (not shown) whichmaintain the films under tension, said springs being connected at oneend to said sprockets and at the other end to the shafts on which saidsprockets rotate.

In order to obtain the registration of the films when necessary, thefollowing device may be employed. For vertical movement of the positivefilm c the lower sprocket wheel on the left hand side of the machine 'isprovided with a longitudinal spiral slot 0 (Fig. 3) along which moves apin 00 projecting through a longitudinal slot in the shaft 9. The pin a:projects from a rod which is located within the outer end-portion of theshaft g and is attached to a nut 00 screwed on to the outer end of theshaft. Thus by turning the nut .22 the pin 0; causes the sprocket c topartially rotate and move the film vertically. The slot 0 and pin 00 aremaintained in constant engagement with one another by the pull of aspring 00 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is secured at its ends to the sprocketand shaft g respectively. In order to provide for lateral movement ofthe negative film the two sprockets b and c on the right hand side ofthe machine are connect,- ed by a yoke 3/ in which they are free torotate. A nut 3 has its inner end journaled in the yoke y and is screwedon to an extension of the spindle (Z of the right hand pressure block.Thus, by turning the nut y the sprockets b and 0, together with the filmcarried thereon, are moved sidewise.

z is a lever, eccentrically pivoted on the lever 8 and bearing on thetop edge of the plate h, by lifting which lever the front end of thelever s can be depressed for the purpose of separating the pressureblocks should it not be convenient to do this through the medium of thecam 0' its the printing is preferably done from a wet film on to a dryfilm, and as celluloid films stretch when wet and shrink when dry, thereis consequently a difference in length between the two filmsnegative andposi tive. It follows, therefore, that if they were rolled to etlier incontact one film would creep on the other and the negative would soon becompletely out of registration with he positi To obviate this, thefilmsare first placed in register by means of the lateral and verticaladjustment devices above i that the image on the negadescribed tive andhe corresponding portion of the icture on the positive are in correctregision along a lineal; A (Fig. 1,, that is,

before the two films enter between the pressure blocks. Havingregistered the two films at A the apparatus is now set in motion, andthe following operations, A, B, C, D and E, take place A. The sprocketsrotate and in doing so draw the two films down through the pressureblocks for the length of one picture, during which operation the coloris transferred from the negative to the positive. By reason of the twofilms coming together at an angle and meeting at the line A, and owingalso to their being drawn from that point in contact with one anotherand under pressure, the upper edges of the pressure blocks act as asqueegee expelling the air and giving a perfectly even and uniformimpression. This operation may require 5}- of a revolution of the handlen.

B. The films remain in contact between the pressure blocks for, say, thefollowing 2% revolutions of the handle n.

C. Pressure blocks separate during, say, the next revolution of thehandle n.

D. The films re-register. Having previously allowed for the variationsin the length of the two films, and this variation being constant, andhaving also already got the two films in exact registration at A on theprevious picture, it follows that when the pressure blocks are separatedand the films thereby freed from contact with one another the tensionsprings alr ady referred to in the two top sprockets Z), Z), are free topull the films taut against the bottom sprockets c, c, and the filmsmust of necessity again register at A in'the same relation to oneanother as they were on the previous picture.

E. The pressure blocks now close (with the already colored picturebetween them) and immediately they come together the sprockets c, 0,turn again and draw down the two fresh pictures already registered asdescribed above.

The various operations A.-E are then again performed in sequence andrepeated throughout the length of the films.

It is very important that, during the backward and forward motion of thepressure blocks, there should be no slipping or movement of the filmsrelatively to them, because this would be likely to throw the films outof registration with one anothc". If the pressure blocks were fornmlgrally with or were fixed to the swi c frames (5, (Z. the distance betwpoint on the lower blocks 5, (Z, and the poi are tango would coustanblocks result slippin whole L1 at which. lower sprocket.

the

G111 (:llC' Fall 0 opening of the pressure blocks.

opening and closing, seeing that the lower sprockets remain stationaryduring the Consequently, upon the pressure blocks coming forward againthe films would have to pass upward (back) over the pressure blocks and.there would, therefore, be friction, and further, owing to the fact thatthe backs of the films are not absolutely in contact with the pressureblocks, the films would touch before the pressure blocks were quite homeand the rear of the pressure blocks, and the arms 03 pivoted to the armsal at 03* and arranged to rock on the stationary pivots w, the pressureblocks are caused to swing on their pivots d in such a way that theirlower edges move along the paths (1, whereby, during the time thatthepressure blocks recede and until they come forward again into contactwith one another, slipping or movement of the films thereon isprevented. In this way absolute registration of the films is maintained,subject, of course, to any adjustment that may have to be made tocompensate for their unequal shrinkage, expansion or other deformation.

I claim 1. In apparatus for transferring color from a negative film to apositive. film, rocking-frames, means about which said rock ing-framesrock, means for -rock1ng. said frames, pressure blocks on .saidrockingframes, and distinct sets of film-carrying sprockets onsaidrocking-frames.

2. In apparatus for transferring color from a negative film to apositive film, rocking-frames, means about which said rockingframesrock, means for rocking said frames, pressure blocks on saidrocking-frames, means on said rocking-frames for carrying the films andmeans for adjusting the films independently of one another so as tobring them into registration. a

3. Apparatus for transferring color from a negative film or the like toa positive film comprising pressure .blocks between which the films areplaced, means for carrying the films, means for enabling the films to beadjusted independently of one another so as to bring them intoregistration, and means for drawing the films, in correct registrationand with a squeegeeing action, through the pressure blocks.

47 In apparatus for transferring color from a negative film to apositive film, rocking-frames, means about which said rockingframesrock, means for rocking said frames, pressure blocks on saidrocking-frames, means on said rocking-frames for carrying the films, andmeans for preventing move.- ment of the films on the pressure blocksduring the rocking motion of said rockingframes.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

PERCIVAL E. S'I OW.

Witnesses:

H. T. P. GEE, HERBERT D. JAMEsoN.

